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How to play against 4-5-1

choltas — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 13:20:41 GMT

My team plays with the conventional 4-4-2, recently we played a team who adopted the 4-5-1, unfortunately i wasnt at this particular game due to family commitments, but the guy i left in charge changed our system to match theres as he felt we were being over run in midfield. I would like peoples opinion on how best to play against a team setup with the 4-5-1, should 'we stick to our 4-4-2 formation but have my fullback get down the wings more, at present i have them stay back and let the wingers do the attacking. I have two good forwards and really would prefer to play them in their natural attacking position rather than send one into midfield.

Futsal

choltas — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 14:30:19 GMT

Hi

I was hoping people could recommend a good futsal coaching book, i would like to start incorporating futsal into my u14 team training.

How do you motivate yourself when things are going wrong?

David Clarke — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:52:10 GMT

A coach I know has not won a game all season. The team is depressed and the parents are moaning about the standard of coaching. Yet every Sunday morning, come rain or shine, he is out there putting up the nets and is the last one to leave at the end of the match or training.

What drives coaches to turn up to run a team when things are going wrong?

In Soccer Coach Weekly I wrote an article called [i]Don’t give up when your plans fall apart[/i]. I did some research for the article looking into the top managers in the world. And guess what? they all lost a lot of games when they started out.

Rafael Benitez at Liverpool: He was sacked three times in his first four years as a manager. Alex Ferguson at Manchester Utd: Sacked by St Mirren aged 37 in 1978.
Carlo Ancelotti at Chelse: Sacked by Parma and then by Juventus.
Giovanni Trapattoni the most successful manager in the history of the Italian game was sacked in the 90s by Cagliari and then in 2006 by Stuttgart.

All because they could not get their teams to win. If these guys keep coming back because it’s their job and they get very good wages what makes a guy who is doing it for free keep coming back?

Do any of you use speed ladders?

David Clarke — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:47:33 GMT

I'm often reticent to use speed ladders in my fitness tips in Soccer Coach Weekly because I can't be sure how many coaches have access to them. I'd be interested to know how many of you use them and what you think of them.

The Great Wall

ebermerced — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 23:31:15 GMT

Hi David,

I thoroughly enjoy receiving your email newsletters. Some have activities just right for the age that I coach, while others do not, but I read each one from top to bottom and find a way to tweak to fit my needs.

You published one back in April 2011 that bothered me greatly. The topic was the The Great Wall.

Your directions on defending against a free kick in a dangerous area for the defending team included having the nearest player stand in front of the ball. Egad. That's cheating. And, it's very unsporting behavior. Law 12 of the FIFA's Laws of the Game are very specific about cautioning players for delaying the restart of play and for their failure to respect the required distance when play is being restarted with a corner kick, goal kick, throw-in and free kick. It's unsporting behavior of the highest degree. When I'm a referee, my prematch discussion to players/captains includes their one warning to impeding play on free kicks. I caution players immediately for this violation. No mercy so to speak.

In my opinion, it's cheating. So not only did a defender cause a foul in a "dangerous area" and possibly stop a goal from being scored, but you also suggest that they further cheat by stopping the attacking team's efforts to capitalize on a quick free kick where maybe they have numerical advantage. I do not coach my players (boys or girls) to partake in this tactic of the game that is unfortunately becoming so common place worldwide that refs don't even bother to enforce the Laws of the Game related to this tactic. It's cheating. Short and simple.

This is the first time that I've replied to one of your newsletters. Promoting cheating isn't something that I think you should be promoting in your newsletter to youth coaches.

Thanks,

Lance

California, USA

Soccer Coach related information

kurt7890 — Thu, 26 May 2011 11:31:35 GMT

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Thanks,
Coach Kurt

How do I decide on squad selection?

pablo — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 20:27:48 GMT

Hi everyone,

This is my first post. Its a question I need some advice on which has probably been asked before.

I move to 11 a side next year after playing 7 a side for 3 years. The emphasis has been to develop core technique but now the lads are showing signs of how losing or winning can affect them and showing frustration when weaker players make mistakes (natural in most 10 yr olds I think). I currently have 18 players training in preparation for next season but the dilemma is do I have open trials so everyone has a chance to get in team OR do I continue with my current squad and make additions even though it could mean upsetting and even losing my stronger players? Personally I don't want to be moving backwards in progression which may happen if the better players leave but obviously I don't want to tell a kid he isn't strong enough to challenge for a position (even if its the truth)

Any advice/experiences/opinions welcome?

Are you the next Howard Webb?

David Clarke — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:54:36 GMT

Did you watch Rotherham's Howard Webb referee the World Cup Final? If you did you will have seen the huge number of incidents he had to deal with, and the players he had to control.

It's not easy and you do get a lot of criticism. I am always pleased when people say "great match, ref" after a game.

If you’re a volunteer coach, you are probably going to be asked to referee a match at some point. This is a daunting task as refereeing at any level can be an uncomfortable experience.

How many of you referee games and what advice do you have for those who face the prospect of refereeing next season?

Watch highlights of Howard Webb's nightmare final below.

Which areas of coaching do you find are the hardest?

David Clarke — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 11:29:06 GMT

Running off the ball is a difficult concept to explain to young players. Do you have difficulties with it or other areas of coaching - techniques, skills or tactics? In my publication Soccer Coach Weekly I cover each topic in a great deal of detail and some areas need more explanation than others so it will be of great interest to me to see which areas you find hard.

Drogba destroys a poor defensive wall

David Clarke — Mon, 17 May 2010 13:48:51 GMT

When your team defends free-kicks they should be ready to build a wall and know beforehand who is going into the wall and your goalkeeper must know which part of the goal to defend - they can't defend the whole goal themselves.

On Saturday Didier Drogba was Chelsea's goal hero in the English FA Cup at Wembley with a free kick which gave them a 1-0 win over Portsmouth. It earned Carlo Ancelotti's side their first-ever League and FA Cup Double in his debut season in England.

The free-kick was just outside the penalty area. However if the wall had been stronger it would have made the shot much more difficult and Portsmouth may not have gone a goal down.

The players didn't remain solid or jump at the same time. Some of them even turned away as Drogba shot so they were unable to see the ball. The positioning of the England goalkeeper David James was poor, as well, allowing Drogba to score in the half of the goal James should have been protecting.

You can watch a clip of the goal below, and in tomorrow's (Wednesday, May 9) Soccer Coach Weekly I have written a step-by-step guide to help you coach your players in the principles of building a wall - starting with your goalkeeper.

Coaching motivation

pmarble — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 20:44:35 GMT

I coach B level - Rec U12 boys. Some of them are there because their parents make them play. However at this age, they need to learn a sense of team resposibility and respect for the game.

What motivational ideas have been used for some kids that just aren't motivated?

Are complicated warm-ups a turn off?

David Clarke — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 13:34:48 GMT

I'm beginning to think getting my players doing complicated warm-ups on match days is nothing more than a headache for myself. Lately they seem to respond better when I use simple 2v1 keep away or 1v1 heading/passing etc.

On Saturday I worked out a corner routine to practice movement and positions. It had less of an effect than a simple game of piggy in the middle and turned out that it wasn't much fun for the players. I'm a great believer in giving the team warm-ups that they have fun doing and are easy to set up. I thought giving more complicated things to do would give them a refreshing change... seems I was wrong.

What do you do with warm-ups on match days?

Do you modify your coaching for indoor soccer?

David Clarke — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:45:15 GMT

With all the bad weather at the end of last year and the start of this one, I've done a lot of indoor soccer coaching. I tend to use small-sided games and warm-ups that I would use coaching outside and top and tail the rules to take into account the indoor environment - head height, wall passes, goalkicks etc.

I know a lot of you are indoors for most of your coaching season. What do you use for drills and exercises and what do you do different to coaching outdoors?

What law changes would you make in youth soccer?

David Clarke — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:54:11 GMT

Having refereed matches at U11 and U14 this season I would like a five minute sinbin for players swearing. It would take away the fact that a player gets three yellow cards then some way down the line another team benefits from the offence. A five minute sinbin would be an ideal way to punish the player and it would give opponents an opportunity to take advantage.

What change would you make?

Law changes I would like to see

ukie — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 18:54:45 GMT

I would like to see additional AR's retained on both goal lines,go straight to PK's after regulation in playoff matches OR allow for an additional number of substitutions in extra time.Also get rid of the "technical area" so coaches can allow players TO PLAY!

Who is this forum for?

Kevin Barrow — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:41:08 GMT

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